I have a Miyata 110 with standard style drop bars and I want to switch them out for bullhorn bars with bar-end brake levers. I am planning on getting the following:
Profile Design Stoker Bullhorns (pre-drilled for internal routing)
Nashbar TT brake levers (internal cable routing)
And a set of MTB brake cables.
I am relatively new to doing mechanical work on my bike myself (I have a basic understanding, but more experience with mountain bikes). I am not worried about installing the levers or the bars themselves, but I am not so confident about running the actual cables and dealing with the housing etc as I switch from the standard bars to internally routed bars. Just looking for any tips/instructions/things to look for. Am I in over my head? Should I just take this into an LBS and get them to help me out? Or is it a doable project for someone looking to learn/get more experience working on his bike?

First, I don't see that the Nashbar levers are set up for internal cable runs. They plug into the ends of the bull horn bars but the cables run on the bar's exterior, at least until you get to what ever holes are drilled in the bars to route the cables internally. Otherwise the installation should be pretty straightforward.

Yeh I wasn't sure about the Levers either, but I emailed the nashbar customer support and they told me that they did run internally, so hopefully that will work out ok. Anything else I should look out for?

Biggest question I guess is how to approach the housing. I've replaced brake cables before, but never had to deal with changing lengths of housing or anything. Can I just cut down what I have? I havent been able to find much info on this (haha maybe cuz its really easy/simple and you don't really need much direction)

You can just cut down what you have if it is long enough. You might consider getting new housings; they are cheap and your old ones may have grooves worn inside them which could cause binding if the inner wire is in a new position. Make sure you pull the inner wire out far enough before you cut; don't ask how I found this out. Just be certain that if you cut or replace the housing you cut the ends square, grind or file them flat with no protruding wires and fit them with the correct ferrules. Make sure that they are firmly and properly seated in their sockets and that everything works 100% before doing any bar wrapping.

Are you sure the cables run internally? The levers themselves plug into the open ends of the bars rather than clamp around the outside of them, thereby "running internally" but I'm still not sure if the cables do too.

Thanks guys. I was considering flopping and chopping my drop bars, but I don't have a saw so I would have to buy that, and I am getting a really good deal on some bullhorn bars as it is. Plus I would like to keep the drop bars just in case I end up not liking the new set up.

The cables SHOULD definitely be internally routed, I was pretty specific when I asked the people at nashbar. Here was my inquiry:

I am planning on purchasing a set of the Nashbar Time Trial Brake Levers. Do these levers require internal brake cable routing? Also, do they take MTB brake cables (I know most TT levers do).

The reply I got back said:

The cables are internal and takes MTB cables.

I will make sure to double check with them one more time before i order. If they aren't internal cables, would i be able to use the same bar and just run them externally? Internally would be nice but I'm not too picky and would do external if needed.


Thanks for the tips on running the housing too. Do many places sell cables and housing together? I have just been looking at online suppliers and find very little as far as cables/housing go, I'm sure I'll be better off buying those things from an LBS, but I've been shopping online to get a price idea etc.

You will need a cable housing cutter ($15-25) to cut the housing, or a hacksaw would work. Use a file to make sure the cut ends are neat and square, though this is less important with brake cable housing than with indexed shift cable housing. Don't forget ferrules and cable tips.

Cool thanks. How much of a noticeable difference does quality level in cables and housing make? I'm just a commuter so I don't need like, super light or anything fancy. Will I be ok with some generic cable/housing package from dicks? Or is it worth it to fork over the extra $20 or so to get something Name Brand (Shimano, Duraace, etc.)

I'm pretty sure that I have those same TT brake levers on my Nashbar bullhorns. I don't think you and Nashbar are describing the same thing. My TT brake levers are external, but depending where the holes are in the bar, they COULD by compatible with internal cables.

Hm I'm not sure. I'm not looking at the Nashbar bullbars themselves because they aren't pre-drilled. Here are the levers I was looking at:
Nashbar Time Trial Brake Levers
Let me know what you think. if I get it all, and they end up NOT bein internally routed, can I just run them externally on the profile bars? Here is a link to a set of the profile bars (I'm getting a pair like new of craigslist for much less, but this has a good picture)
https://www.profile-design.com/profil...stoker-26.html
Just seeing how many options they have for entry/exit points, it looks like it would be pretty doable to run external cables to an entry point if it comes to that, I'm guessing it will just be a pain when putting on grip tape.

Also, I'm not sure I've seen bullhorns with external brake cables before...is it a messy look? Do they get in the way much? Like I said I'm just kinda starting out so I don't need anything real fancy, just functional, and better upgrades will come later.

I just got another email back from Nashbar, they still say the levers run internal cables. At the same time they say all of their bars are set up for external routing. Seems weird to me that they would sell levers that aren't compatible with any of their own bars...I guess I will find out

Those are nice bars. Those are the same levers that I have. As your looking at that picture of the brake lever, the cable routes from underneath wear the insignia is located. So when you mount the lever, the cable is underneath the bar.

I have my cable routed externally for now and I am running the cable (I only use one brake) right along the outside of the left grip. It was an experiment, it doesn't look bad, but it's definitely in the way. When I re-tape the bars, I'm thinking of just taping over the cable housing, since it is running tight to the underside of the grip.

The only issue that I could see is that you would have to run the cable housing from under the bullhorn and 90 degrees around the bar in order to route it into that opening on the bars you are looking at. So that may not be doable, since cable housing just isn't that flexible. If the whole for the cable routing were on the underside of the bar, they'd be perfect for the Nashbar TT levers.

I've seen a bull horn setup with in-line brake levers as well and his setup is externally routed. It doesn't look bad.

Great info! It's weird that Nashbar keeps telling me the levers are set up for internal routing (i've asked like, three times now since I keep hearing otherwise from people on the forum here). I guess I will probably go ahead and purchase both, the nashbar levers are cheap enough that if I need to figure out an alternative it wont put me back too money. I'm also at this point planning on stopping in a LBS when I am ready to set up the housing just to make sure I don't do anything stupid. Love to hear any more input anyone might have.